Half to nancy stonestkeet



` Mire VILLIAM H. SMOOT, OF PLEASANT HOME, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO NANCY STONESTREET, OF SAME PLACE.

HoRsE-DETAci-IER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,828, dated September 3, 1895..

Application led June 12, 1895- Serial No. 552,561. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SMoor, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pleasant Home, in the county of Owen and State of Kentucky, have invented a new andusetul Horse-Detacher, of which the following is a specification.

lThe invention relates to improvements in horse-detache'rs.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of horse-detachers and to provide a simple and inexpensive device adapted to be readily applied to a whifiietree and capable of instantly releasing traces when it is desired to detach a horse from a vehicle to avoid injury to the occupants or the vehicle in the event of a runaway.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of one end of a Whittletree provided with a device constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view, the parts being arranged for releasing a trace.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

l designates a trace-receiving hook, pivoted intermediate of its ends by a bolt 2 and mounted on the upper face of a whiftletree 3, and having its shank 4 of the same width as the whittletree, and tapering toward its inner extremity, and adapted to be held in alignment with the whiftletree by a sliding sleeve 5. The sliding sleeve conforms to the conliguration of the whiflietree, and has its outer extremity slightly flared Vor enlarged to receive and engage the tapered portion of the shank of the hook l, whereby the latter is held in alignment with the whittletree, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

The outer extremity of the hook is curved rearward, as shown, and is adapted to receive and hold the eye of a trace in the ordinary manner, and the outer portion of the hook is adapted to swing forward to release the trace when the shank is released by sliding the sleeve 5 inward on the whiitletree by means hereinafter described.. The tension or strain on the trace will swing the outer portion of the hook l forward and instantly disengage the trace as soon as the lever is free to turn.

The sleeve 5 is provided at its rear side with an eye 7, which is arranged on a guiderod 8, and the latter extends longitudinally of the whiflietree and terminates a short distance from the end of the same, and is slightly separated from the whiflietree, being rearwardly offset by means of supports 9, such as eyebolts or the' like. The eye 7 of the sleeve is engaged by a spiral spring l0, disposed on the guide-rod and interposed between the said eye 7 and the support 9, andthe spring is adapted to hold the sliding sleeve in its engagement with the tapering portion of the hook. The outward movement of the eye 7 is limited by a suitable stop ll of the guiderod.v An operating cord or rope l2 is connected with the sliding sleeve 5 of each end of' the whitletree, and its outer extremity is attached to an eye 18, and it passes through a guide-eye 14, mounted on the upper face of the whiftletree and located a sufficient distance from the sleeve to enable the latter to be drawn inward far enough to release the pivoted hook. rlhe operating-cord or other connection is designed to extend to the body of the vehicle, so as to be within easy reach of the driver, and in event of a runaway a horse maybe instantly detached to prevent it from damaging the vehicle or injuring the occupants. y

It will be seen that the horse-detacher is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is adaptedto be readily applied to any ordinary singletree, and that it is positive and reliable in operation and capable of instantly releasing a horse.

.Changes in the form, proportion, and thel and holding the latter in its engagement with the hook, and means for sliding the sleeve inward against the action of the spring to re- 15 lease the hook, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxe'd my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. sMoor.

Witnesses:

R. E. MEFFORD, H. B., BECK. 

